The Disclaimer: Capcom owns DVL
Chapter 2
As soon as Vergil grasped at the tingling feeling, he figured that it was coming from the central part of the fair.
"Hey, where are you going?" Dante called as Vergil turned and headed towards the cluster of small attractions.
"Don't follow me." Vergil said in an annoyed tone as Dante tried to catch up with him. "Don't you have other things to do?"
"Nah, you are more fun to be with." Dante replied as he looked around at the varicolored stands, getting a hateful glance from his brother who cursed inwardly at the importunate follower. "Besides, it's not often that I get a chance to hang out with my dear bro."
Vergil muttered something unintelligible and felt relieved when Dante suddenly disappeared from his side. But soon he re-emerged with a torn piece of "Help wanted!" sheet in his hands.
"They have a vacancy." Dante's brows furrowed as he read the advertisement. "Works for me."
"Are you serious?"
"Think about it." He smiled with a faraway look. "Making ladies scream by pressing the right button and pulling the… lever." He emphasized the last word with his eyes.
"You are too preoccupied with other things to do any serious work." Vergil gave him a you-are-hopeless look before shaking his head.
"Whatever. Oh, that's what I was looking for!" Dante exclaimed and Vergil sighed heavily before moving his stony stare in the direction of his brother's enthusiasm. "Funhouse mirrors! I can't remember the last time I've been there."
"Another useless invention." Vergil commented and cursed inwardly as he realized that he lost the connection again. "What is the point of seeing yourself ugly, short and corpulent?"
"It's just for fun. You've never liked them, why?"
"I already have you." Vergil said tiredly before rubbing his eyes. "It is impossible to find any more distorted and idiotic mirror."
Dante huffed and pursed his lips but his expression softened when he noticed that Vergil looked more pale then usual. If it even was possible.
"You okay? You don't look well."
"For the past week I could not get any sleep." Not that he required it but he actually felt better after having a proper sleep.
"Guilty conscience?" When Vergil glared at him he corrected himself. "Ah, how could I forget.. You don't have one."
"No it's not that." Vergil shook his head. "Demons attack my house nearly every night."
Worry flickered across his twin's face but it was quickly replaced with a smirk.
"Perhaps they miss you." He suggested. "Can't blame them for that, can we? You're such a duck." He grinned as Vergil narrowed his eyes at him. "Especially when you get homicidal."
"You are absolutely unbearable." Vergil replied sharply as he turned away and closed his eyes, trying to focus on his senses for the umpteenth time. "Now spare me your presence." How was he supposed to concentrate if his brother filled all the peri-Vergilic space with himself?
"Oh, come on, I'm just-" He become silent when Vergil raised a hand, gesturing him to shut up.
"I think I located it." He said in a moment before turning to Dante. "You don't sense anything, do you?"
"You mean barbecue?"
The elder half-demon rolled his eyes and began to walk towards the eastern exit of the fair. There was a small trailer park behind the fence, surrounded by a bunch of trees. The funfair was situated on the city outskirts and was not far from the woodland belt that separated the city from an expansive lake. Dante knew that Vergil dwelled somewhere about there but had a vague idea of its specific location. Vergil wanted to preserve his sanity and Dante's unawareness of his hermitage was one of the requirements.
"What are you looking for?" Dante asked as they passed by an occupied teeter-totter. "Maybe I can help?"
Vergil ignored him as he went on, lips pursed and brows furrowed in determination, until they reached one of the shabby-looking trailers. Leaned against the mobile home were a couple of black bicycles.
"Something was wrong about the demons I faced." Vergil finally granted him an answer as. "I clearly sensed their confusion before they leaped at me which makes me believe that I wasn't the purport of their visit."
"What was it then?"
"I'm not even sure anyone briefed them on their mission. They must have been summoned accidentally and the one responsible for their coming might not even be aware of the power he possesses."
"Interesting. Any idea what it can be?"
"Yes, though it doesn't have a proper name. These things are of the same origin as our amulets. They were created in many forms: amulets, charms, all sorts of trinkets, bells. Have you ever come across anything like that?"
"I think I know what you're talking about. There was a little bell which summoned demons whenever it was rang though I can't remember where I saw it."
"It doesn't matter. I've come to the conclusion that another example belongs to one of the locals."
"So?"
"Stay here in case anyone shows up. I'll search through the nearby trailers."
"Isn't that a criminal infraction?"
Vergil quirked a brow when something crashed behind Dante. He spun around to see that a kid on a tricycle run into a fence but when he turned back his brother was nowhere to be seen. Quick bastard.
He sighed as he left the trailer park and walked towards the merry-go-rounds, hands in the pockets. Everything was going as predicted. At least he hoped so.
He stood in front of the horror attraction and stared at the large sign board which had words "Calle del Infierno" daubed on it and was giving an impression of flames licking at the letters. "Funny, isn't it?" He asked when Vergil approached him ten minutes later. "Have you found it?"
"No. I lost the connection entirely."
Yeah, right, Dante thought but didn't show his doubts. "Bad."
Vergil turned to walk away when Dante grabbed his arm, making him stop. "What?"
"Don't you want to have a look?" He pointed towards the entrance.
"Why on earth would I want that?"
"We can compare your impressions…" Dante replied with a smirk which disappeared when he continued. "And make you feel yourself at home."
"What?"
"I'm sure you miss Hell since you spent there so much time. Maybe even fancy popping off for a couple of hellish days, huh?"
Vergil's face darkened as he imagined his twin being pierced by a dozen of summoned swords. Looked like Dante couldn't forget his voluntary jump at the end of Temen-ni-gru. More's the pity.
Before he could answer a familiar voice greeted them from behind.
"Hey!" Lady neared them as they turned to face her, a smug grin plastered across her face. She was holding a huge brown teddy bear in her arms but Dante knew she would give it away as she never kept any toys. Her toys were metal, polished and deadly, just like his. "Vergil?" The elder demon regarded her with his usual indifferent expression.
"Wow, how did you do that?" Dante asked, impressed. "I was sure the sight was misaligned."
"Well, it was but the moron kept yelling that it wasn't until I took out this" – she whipped out one of her guns – "and fired the whole round into the bull's eye." She smirked. "The freak got the pants scared off him and I got this". Her eyes shifted to the stuffed animal.
"I would advise you to hide this if you don't want us to get arrested." Vergil pointed out as he gestured towards the weapon she kept holding in front of her.
"Hah. You two carry swords openly but you want me to be careful?" She retorted but hid her gun nevertheless. Vergil gave her a scornful look.
"There is a mobile theatre nearby." He said calmly. "We can easily pass for actors. There should always be an excuse for bearing arms in the daylight and I saw about it." Dante coughed at the last words and looked sideways when Vergil turned his attention to him. He never cared about such things. He was surprised Vergil did. But then again they both had to do whatever business they had by moonlight when darkness let its creatures roam about the streets.
"I can pass for actor too." Lady protested, drawing a chuckle from Dante.
"I don't know what theatre would have an adult woman dressed like a school girl with a huge teddy bear in her arms." He eyed her pointedly with a broad grin as she narrowed her eyes. "Oh, wait! I DO know one, but it works at night and kids are not allowed."
Lady clenched her fists but kept her temper under control.
"You know what?" She said as she wrapped her arms around the bear. "I think I'd call it Dante and keep it in my bed. That's the only way anyone named Dante gets this far." She said sweetly before giving him a charming smile.
Dante clenched his teeth as he glared at her. Why was she even bringing that up like that? Yes, he tried - a lot of times, honestly, but failed. But there was no need for Vergil to know about their relationship so he tried to shrug it off.
"Whatever. You can as well bring it on your missions and see how it covers your back."
"I don't need anyone to cover my back." She said harshly.
"Whatever you say, Lady."
Vergil rolled his eyes, deciding that he had enough of the two and that funfair. Though the fact that his twin still hadn't had his way with this woman amused him. He would even go so far as to say that it made him look differently at her, because everyone that remained within a radius of five metres from Dante for a long time ended up equally. But that was all.
His thoughts were interrupted as a boy of six or seven years old rammed into their trio, making them start back from each other and let him pass through. The boy continued his round, accompanying it with the sounds of revving engine, imitating some kind of running vehicle.
"He is just a bulldozer." Dante remarked as he straightened his coat. Vergil huffed and dug his hands into his pockets. His face paled.
"Oh, no." He looked around frantically. "He took the music box!"
"Well, well, so it's a music box then." Dante crossed his arms over his chest. "Lying is a sin."
"All right, I've found it. But that child has stolen it! We need to retrieve it!"
"We? I don't." Dante turned to Lady. "Do you need this box?" She raised her brows. "She doesn't. So it's totally your problem."
"Damn you." Vergil hissed and took off after the vehicle-boy.
